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Happy Turkey Day! :) How've you been?

Julio would be a close second, and Louis-CONSCENT III is an honorable mention, I agree.

"I'm sure you'll get a special something in the end!" Xo Look out man, that girl means BUSINESS!

I'm still humming that squealy-rap song from the storylines, though. Really, there's *got* to be a full-length cut of that song, right?

I'd have to go with QueenZee, too. Not only does it illustrate her mischieviousness, but it's also very revealing of the other characters too - more than their own stories, in fact! Who'd ever think Emi was such a pig? (That, or really oral-fixated...)

"With THAT thing? Not a chance!" XD

I'd have to go with "Alice in Blunderland," too. XD The looks on that girls' face was too funny! And "Jonny..." that was totally random and well-played!

Am I the only person who would love to edit/chart that cutesy-squealy rap song that plays on most of the even-numbered SMM stages? You know the one I'm talking about... Is there a total cut/version of it, instead of just a looping sample? I don't know what it is about that song, but I LOVE it! It's so infectious!

Disco's was the most fun to play, though; even though he comes off a little... jerky in his story. Love the way Jenny/Q-Zukin would actually take a title like "King!" And I really did like how Baby-Lon's tied in with the Saber Wing and planet songs!

Captain T. really *IS* Thomas Howard. Who apparently took offense to the "La Senorita virtual" cover; hence why he's only covered NAOKI songs since then; and the long hiatus of TH songs featured in DDR (though personally, I'm still looking forward to BREAK OUT and PRIMAL SOUL; *waaay* overdue!

Also: :lol: @ Cow Voce.

8o

Oh. Em. Eph. Gee. Tripleexclamationpointses!!!

This title's not even released, and I'm already in serious envy of every 360-owner alive...

(I wonder if L.A. EVOLVED will play similar to tokyoEVOLVED... maybe?)

I'm curious to hear what everybody thinks may qualify a DDR title for being "above EX2's" level of fun and intensity.

Let's face it, EXTREME 2 did a LOT right. It had a very good balance of then-current arcade action, nostalgia, new Bemani crossovers that were well-charted, and some of the funnest and most technical exclusive licenses ever produced. It featured most of the popular-and-challenging speed stages from BOTH EXTREME -and- 3rd Mix put together. It also featured nearly all of the ULTRAMIX KO stages, along with their fun Festival/Challenge charts. And while it featured less than 10 revival songs, they're all really good, fun, and popular ones.

Do you even think it's possible to surpass EX2's tracklist quality? And how should Konami go about producing it?

I think Konami came pretty darn close with SuperNOVA. The region-abridged stages were a very good touch, many of the excusive licenses had pretty fun and somewhat challenging charts, and it did feature most of the really good arcade stages, not to mention the really fun (and actually more challenging) remixes of them, as well as the whole batch of Extra Stage songs, plus Max-Me. The generous amount of UM2/SongPack crossovers helped the game's quality a lot as well, one point where SN2 fell a little flat, to me. And X could've used that touch, as well, even if just a little.

I think taking some fun, challenging stages from the 4th Mix PLUS batch (such as CAT'S EYE -Ventura Mix- and WONDA -SPEED K MIX-), ULTRAMIX 3-4 (the GF/dm crossovers come to mind, along with 250bpm remix, THE STRONG JAEGER Remix, and Love Me Do Remix) and maybe even the remixes from UM2 (.59/In My Eyes), along with a collection of particular-KO-artist-or-two stages from past mixes (DE-SIRE? RevenG? jun? good-cool? 2MB?) can probably a good place to start. I also liked the one-song-per-older-mix approach that EX2 took with it's revivals/licenses.

One or two licenses should be considered specifically to recreate portions of older, challenging chart types (I wouldn't mind seeing a new song that's similar to SO DEEP/TWILIGHT ZONE, but with some experimental patternwork thrown in; perhaps one like RHYTHM & POLICE/SAINT GOES MARCHING, as well...), and a few for dedicated fun-charts (the way Can't Stop The Rain's chorus was similar to INNONCENCE OF SILENCE). One or two folky-sounding or classical covers (with a good focus on percussion) would also make for some fun challenge, as well. Even a low-tempo (by that, I mean 110-125, not 65-80) song can have fun streamy/skippy action thrown in with sequences of 1/16's on higher difficulties. And yes, some songs should just be plain fun; Take On Me/Strict Machine/He Said She Said/The Rockafeller Skank come to mind - if SN2 did something right, it was THAT.

Toyo: In case it helps, it's obvious that sonic coll. = NAOKI. ;) And your post does cover one good thing I forgot to mention: I *love* how the graphics thrown around in the dancer-bg stages are completely old-school!

Pretty good.

New Extra Stages and XS system kick, as well as the Xmixes, my personal favorite part of the mix.

(2008 X-Edit) stages are a cool concept, but some could be executed better; or work best in addition to originals, as to be played along with them like extended versions (even as CHG-only charts). Butterfly's used that chorus one time too many. X$ It would've been much better with another verse thrown in/mixed up; like say, Get Up'n Move's.

Newer pop songs had pretty fun charts and were cool-sounding; but they do, on Expert, lack the challenge/intensity that many Expert players still hope for. The exclusive licenses from EXTREME 2 best illustrate that depth, where SuperNOVA 2's illustrate the fun patternwork. I DO like the new "DDRX anthem" stages and their remixes a lot, and some of the new stepchart experiments. Slip Out's remix, and it's use of jumps and freezes to a low tempo comes to mind, along with the "progressive" verse approach in Voltum Stellarium and (Ticket to Bombay, I think?).

The abundance of SN2 stages, however; gives DDRX more of a space theme than an urban one, though. I can see the "save a little for later," and how it translates to arcade releases, but the balance needs tipped a LITTLE more forward, so the "urban" theme of... whatever the other stages the arcade will feature... don't drown out the next mix's. A few more UM3/UM4/UNI Bemani transplants would be good to see next year, as well.

That said, I don't think anyone's going to complain that there "aren't enough 10's" this time. ;)

ALSO: I nominate jiggens to compose the next Nonstop Megamix! Combining both "Dance Celebration" stages, and then "Uranus" and "Poseidon" in Midnight Dawn was ingenius; and not only is Linear Momentum a total blast to play (thanks in part to the revised BLOODY TEARS -Expert- chart), it also has kickin' stereo effects in it, too!

Finally, @ SABER WING -Challenge-: STOPS AND SHOCKS DON'T MIX!!! Sure, you can pull this off at home... but think about it. In the arcade, there's a big machine directly in front of your pad, a safety bar behind you, and who knows who may be standing/passing by the side. You can't just "jump off" all the time. Though Matrix Walkers will probably have a blast!

Like Street Master Mode, this mode will feature each character in a 3-chapter "story." Each of the characters are available at the start for their "first chapter."

 Each chapter will introduce a plot that the character is facing, along with a course of songs that "illustrate" their story, some of the later ones utilizing modifiers that come into effect. For example, Charmy's eyes getting blurry (as she's being prescribed glasses, and isn't comfortable with wearing them, for example) would cause hiding/dark effects in the stages. Another possibility is to make these modifiers optional (like the Normal/Difficult modes of Street Master), in fact, this may be preferential. Each of the courses should be 4-7 stages long, depending on the amount of time one wants to dedicate to playing, and should (for the most part) be LGT-STD-HVY adjustable, though later (third-chapter) courses or final stages may use appropriate stages at STD-HVY-CHG levels instead.

Chapter 1 should consist mainly of default songs, and end with one unlockable one. Chapter 2 can mix a couple of unlockables in, along with a "boss" stage, and Chapter 3 should be made of higher-tier stages (though some are available to begin with) and boss stages; and as forementioned, should focus on utilizing CHG charts.

Each chapter has 3 endings to it that play out, depending on your course performance. One for "A" or lower, one for "AAs", and a particularly cheery one for "AAA's." Yes, I'm talking about "AAA"ing COURSES, not just stages here. Give the pros something to keep working towards! And perhaps toss an "Extra Stage" feature per course into THIS mode, as a lead-in to the alternate endings. :D And finally, 1-5 "secret arrows" per course (depending on difficulty, ala EX2) to keep fun-loving players on their toes too. This CAN provide an alternative to AA/AAA'ing for other endings/extra stages as well, for less technically-inclined players, though I do NOT suggest enabling a "combined result" (IE: Secret arrows directly affecting grades, or "AA" + partial secret arrows = "AAA" or "ALL secret arrows" ending).

Naturally, passing one chapter for a character enables the next - you don't HAVE to complete all C1's before you play a C2, for example. You can skip around between characters, or you can hammer out all three for one character in a row.

Unforced modifiers, for the most part, should be enabled. If NOTHING else, allow speed and noteskin ones, and then possibly Left/Right/Mirror/Shuffle; players have their preferences. Now, if a course is designed to force speeds/noteskins, that can be overwritten for that chapter, but should otherwise stand.

I think it's safe to say, with a mode like this, you could make this the main gameplay mode, and make Arcade Mode secondary (but still functional). What do you guys think?

ALSO: Unrelated to the topic, but feedbacky nonetheless... I believe EXTREME 2 best illustrates the expected level of challenge/musical depth in exclusive-licensed stepcharts, and SuperNOVA 2 best illustrates the expected level of fun in them. A bit of each (instead of a this-or-that approach) will probably have the best effect, apart from utilizing HVY-CHG as the difference, and simply doing both.

I do think SN2 grading is tops, but yes, a special little firework/bonus for FPC's would be a nice touch. And for those not playing scoreplay, perhaps a casual-play mode where arrows are simply "Cool/Okay/Bad" would appeal to more basic players, where an alternative-titled "SSR" mode can be accessed, so that "Greats" break even, "Goods" and below drain life, and only "Marvelous/Perfect" ones raise it.

Also, I believe 99.1% is a good AAA cutoff - you may be able to whiff a Great or two, but not a Miss, unless there's 320+ steps to a chart. (Perhaps an unperfect on could be an "AAa"?)

Is it just me, or does DDR X "hand out" AAA's?